News

Calls for a Sustainable Food System in Europe

19 March 2015

EU - The WWF is calling on the European Commission’s First Vice-President Frans Timmermans to develop a clear plan for a healthy and climate friendly European food system by 2030, in collaboration with the LiveWell for LIFE project.

Having consulted with the public on what to include in its plans already in 2013, the EU has so far failed to publish its Communication on Building a Sustainable European Food System, thereby holding up progress on the creation of a strategy that addresses the environmental and public health impacts of food, said the WWF.

Supporting the WWF call to action are Members of the European Parliament’s major parties, a wide range of civil society organisations from public health, animal welfare and environment sectors, as well as several companies from all the major food sectors, including Alpro, Edeka, Marks & Spencer, Nestlé, Sodexo, and Unilever.

Some relatively small changes in diets would see results such as less greenhouse gases emitted, healthier populations eating less and better food and less food waste.

Tony Long, Director of European Policy Office said: “A big majority of civil society, businesses and national governments across Europe want the European Commission to act on food sustainability. Vice-President Timmermans’ team should bring together all these partners to work towards a fairer, healthier and more competitive food system that respects the limits of the planet. In 2015 Europe will take important commitments for global sustainable development and climate action. None of them will be achieved without acting on food.”

WWF and LiveWell for LIFE want to see change because:

Europe is the biggest importer and exporter of food;

30 per cent of Europe’s greenhouse gas emissions are food related;

Eating animal products accounts for 46 per cent of Europe’s water consumption;

Half the European population is obese or overweight;

A third of food produced for humans is lost or wasted.

Duncan Williamson, Food Policy Manager of WWF-UK said: “The EU promised to publish it’s ‘Building a Sustainable European Food System’ last year, and has so far failed to do so. Without it, the development of a clear policy on sustainable food is held back, and cooperation between European stakeholders from different sectors is also stalling. WWF and LiveWell for LIFE call for the EU to publish this Communication as soon as possible so that progress can be made.”